Worcesteria: Fire at Raven, shuffle at Kelley Square

Bill Shaner Reporter @bill_shaner

Monday

Apr 27, 2020 at 6:24 PMApr 29, 2020 at 9:12 AM

NO GOING BACK: This is it folks, this is our last week with the Kelley Square traffic pattern the way it has been, and generally worked, for decades. On May 6, the state will be making the shift to the Peanut, albeit with mostly traffic cones for now. The most noticeable change at first will be the direction reversal of Harding Street and Millbury Street, which is going to be a nightmare, and the new peanut will slowly take shape over the next couple months. I’m on record as being a fervent Kelley Square Truther. I think this redesign is a bad idea. I think that the data behind the claim that Kelley Square is the most dangerous intersection in the state are disingenuous at best. They count the actually nightmarish I-290 on and off ramps as part of the square, and it accounts for some 40 percent of all the accidents. Also, there have been very few fatal accidents. Most are of the fender bender variety because no one can drive fast enough to do real damage. That’s sort of the brilliance of Kelley Square. It handles a ton of traffic relatively efficiently because cars are constantly moving in a chaotic dance. Like any dance, you can eventually learn it, and people who’ve been driving around here a long time can do it just fine. It proves that anarchy works. It is also hilarious and cool that Worcester is known for an intersection which is so intimidating to the outside world that people won’t use it. That rocks. Like Kelley Square, Worcester is intimidating until you get used to it and then you realize it’s actually really cool. It’s a landmark that genuinely defined the culture of our city and we’re replacing it with something that’s probably going to make traffic worse. When I think about Kelley Square, I get depressed. R.I.P. to a real one.

THE RAVEN: The Raven went up in flames over the weekend. The back half of the building and a bus parked behind it are completely charred and I can only imagine what the inside looks like. In terms of Worcester’s music and bar scene, the Raven is sort of a secret weapon. You’re not likely to hear it talked about when people are hyping the so-called renaissance (and the fact this story didn’t get picked up by any of the police and fire reporters in Worcester is a testament to that) but it’s been host to a lot of really great shows over the years, and I’m hoping the ownership can come back from it. There is one silver lining here though. Given the shutdown, the Raven was empty when the fire started. But it was a Friday night. There could have been a lot of people there in an alternate timeline and it would not have been pretty. So thanks for that one, ‘Rona.

THE HOMELESS PROBLEM: The city’s Health and Human Services Department released a very illuminating report on homelessness recently. The most interesting part, to my mind, was a survey the city took of all the homeless people they helped connect to services. The survey includes data on why or how the person became homeless. Of the people surveyed, 38 percent said evictions were the primary cause and 10 percent said rent increases. That’s half of the homeless population blaming the cost of living in Worcester for their homelessness, and the cost of living is only going up. The case for more affordable housing presents itself clear as day.